A True Shinobi
by LineApe
Summary: There is an old saying, 'A true shinobi always finishes what he starts.' The Sandaime Hokage fancies himself a true shinobi. ONESHOT


A True Shinobi

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It's days like these…

It's days like these when I feel every bit as old as I really am.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Minato, that foolish… hero. He was supposed to be doing this. It's his job—I gave it to him after all.

Of course, nothing ever really goes as it should for me. I train a few snotty brats into legends, and they all turn out to be failures in their own way.

Tsunade, the legendary sucker. Once an amazing medic, is now a degenerate gambler and a common whore; hopping from the casino, to the bar, from the bar to a stranger's bed…

And when she's done with that it's back to the casino she goes.

Jiraiya, the self-proclaimed super pervert. A seal master without a rival aside his own student, but where is he now? Not here. Not raising his godson like he damn well should be.

I will admit he writes some… interesting stories.

I won't even get started on my failures with my other student. I almost made him Hokage. I wonder how that would have turned out?

Would the beast have destroyed the village while he cowered in his office? I doubt he would have done what Minato did.

Yes, I made the right choice with Minato.

Of course, he's dead now, and I'm in control once again.

What is that old saying?

'A true shinobi always finishes what he starts?'

That about sums it up then. I guess it's kage for life.

I guess that also makes me a true shinobi.

I didn't _really _have to come out of retirement for this. I really didn't. I could be sitting on a beach somewhere watching the pretty ladies frolic about, or I could have just followed my student on one of his whoring expeditions, but no, I came back because there was no one else to do the job.

I'll finish what I've started here.

I hear a light popping noise, and out of the corner of my eye I see the boy, no, the man I've been waiting for.

"Is it done?" I say. I take a deep pull from my pipe and wait a long moment before exhaling.

"It is," he replies.

"Good," I reply, "and there are no survivors?"

Instead of the curt reply that I expect, all I hear is silence. Over a minute of silence.

"Itachi?" I say. I snap my fingers in front of his face to get his attention. "Survivors?"

He blinks.

"There is one."

There was to be none. What happened?

"Who?"

"My brother, Sasuke."

"Your brother? Why? Your mission was to kill them all."

"I—I couldn't do it. He's… innocent." The man lets out a sigh. "He knew nothing of the plot. He didn't need to die."

"Son, I specifically told you that—"

"I don't care! I'm not killing my own brother!"

"Not your brother, but your mother and father? Grand parents? Cousins? Why draw the line there?"

Once again, the young man is in no hurry to respond.

With no response forthcoming, I carry on, "Sasuke needs to die. It is imperative that—"

"No! I did what I had to. I did as you ordered. Your _rebellion_ has been quelled. I did my part. My brother has nothing to do with this!"

"Itachi—"

"I'm leaving this village as we agreed upon. If a single hair on my brother's head is touched, then I will tell everyone what really happened here. I'll tell them how you ordered the slaughter of an entire clan for the greater good of a village. Men, women, and children."

So this is how it is now? Either let him have his way and capitulate, or…

"Okay," I say, "Alright." I take a step towards him and raise my hand in a calming gesture. "No harm will come to your brother," I declare as I put a hand on his shoulder, "I give you my word"

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," he says as he closes his eyes and hangs his head, "You have no idea how—"

I snap his neck in a single motion, and watch as his lifeless body falls to the floor.

So much potential. So much… wasted potential.

I had thought him to be a true shinobi like myself. One who could be trusted to finish his work, but clearly not.

I am a shinobi, and I finish _my_ work.

I leap from the tower to the ground below, and head towards the Uchiha district.

I'm so sorry child…

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AN: Just wanted to get this out there. A little Naruto oneshot.

It's been sitting on my hard drive for a few of months, and I just happened to stumble across it.

Nothing else planned. Just a little divergence for the hell of it. Sarutobi is a badass.

Also, I quit one of my jobs, so expect a much faster update rate on my stories. Free time rules! No more 60 hour weeks! Yay!

-Lineape


End file.
